Do you have a favorite year? What made it so?

I think it was 1975.

Living in San Diego. Every single thing in my life was fabulous. I was in grade school, loved my whole life. My school, friends, sports, family.....carefree. I was so innocent and really happy. I've been many different levels of happy since. There was just something about that time that makes me smile at the thought. So much so that that memory is one I have dug out at times of great turmoil.

1996 my only granddaughter was born.

2001 my daughter was in remission from leukemia.

My favorite year was 1969, the year in between high school graduation and the start of college. I really grew up that year and discovered that there was more "out there".

1969    I was in peak physical condition. I had a 6 pack, I ran 5 miles a day 7 days a week in the rain, snow, or heat. I was paid to jump out of airplanes. I earned the Battalion's Championship Marksman Award. A week latter I was in a jungle overseas and was introduced to man's inhumanity to man.

For me it was 1986. I came back from the sweaty Honduran jungle to find my America at the height of prosperity, and met and wooed the striking beauty who would become Mrs Z.

PS- she was looming over my shoulder when I posted this.

1988. I had a nasty breakup the year before that crushed me. After high school I dated a guy for almost 5 years. So everyone knew me as Craig's girlfriend.

Before that I had an overachieving older brother. Every time I met someone new, I heard, "Oh you're Jim's sister!" 

For the first time in my life I was facing the world as only myself. I had to figure out who that was.